Indie and self-published comics are in a bit of a renaissance right now as the major comics powerhouses are on the decline and tools for independent creators are becoming much more plentiful and accessible. As a result, comic readers can find whatever niche comic they want to read just by going to Kickstarter and pitching in a few bucks to whatever suits their fancy.
But, with over 10,000 projects* running at any given point in time, how does the average reader find the right Kickstarter to support? Hopefully, this article will help narrow things down, starting with...
Writer: David Crispino
Artist: Tony Gregori
Campaign Ends: October 15th
Status: 95% funded
PITCH:
The crew of the 101 have lost one of their own, Jack, on a routine time-seeding mission. Unbeknownst to them, Silver, a hyper-intelligent gorilla, has found Jack and is attempting to coax him into completely re-writing the course of human social evolution. Will the 101 successfully reconnect with Jack or will extra-dimensional horror and upheaval ensue?
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
We've been covering Crispino's weird sci-fi adventure comic since the beginning and finally seeing its conclusion is bittersweet. Setting aside the deluge of content you get by backing this campaign, you owe it to yourself to experience all the bizarre twists, wonderful humor, and talking gorillas this comic has to offer. In any other list, this would be a contender for #1, so you know this month isn't messing around.
Writer: Jarred Luján
Artist: Matt Harding
Campaign Ends: October 17th
Status: 120% funded
PITCH:
Joe Morris is an elderly man struggling with dementia. As it worsened, mysterious things began to happen: screaming in languages he didn't know, violent outbursts with an inhuman strength, and ultimately a fire in his nursing home that originated from his room.
His son, Joey Morris, contacted a priest for help, and together they discovered the unnerving truth: Joe Morris has been possessed by a demon. There's only one man that can possibly save Joe's life, an exorcist shrouded in secrets and whispers named Juan-Carlos "JC" Garcia...known in mystic circles as The Eater.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Jarred Luján has only ever promised one thing in his career: if you give him money, he will give you Mexicans doing badass fight scenes. His previous Kickstarter project, The Twin Blades delivered that in spades, and from everything we've seen regarding this book, it's going to be another wild ride. With a complex story, rich art, and tantalizing horror imagery, this project is too interesting not to give your full attention to.
Writer: Lesly Julien & Doug Wood
Artist: Brian Flint
Campaign Ends: October 15th
Status: 90% funded
PITCH:
There is only one thing barbarian chief R'Nar lives for; the battlefield. When R'Nar finds himself ousted from his clan by his best friend Skom, his life spirals out of control without a purpose.
Skom begins to search for a legendary blade he believes will allow him to rule the world. It's up to the doom-crying quirky wizard Oqora to force R'Nar to reclass to a wizard if they are to have any hopes to stop the end of the world.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Holy crap, the art in this book is gorgeous. Put your color preferences aside and consider that well-made line art can stand on its own, and this book will overwhelm you with meticulous detail, energetic layouts, and a world so rich that color might actually detract from how visceral it feels. Lesly Julien's projects always pique curiosity with their evocative names and wild premises, but none have ever risen to this level of sheer cool. Back this one, if only so I can finally get my own hands on it.
Writer: Maxwell Majernik
Artist: Jean Franco
Campaign Ends: October 31st
Status: 40% funded
PITCH:
The town of Ridgeville has been stuck in the middle of a 150-year-old battle between two mad scientists, and former colleagues, Edwin Grabowski and Victor Farsimov.
Both scientists claim to have figured out the secret of immortality and created armies of zombies and cyborgs using their respective methods. The scientists have waged a war for so long within the town, that the townspeople now consider it an honor to be abducted by either one of them in their quest for glory.
Anyone who shows any bit of potential, be it brains, brawn, or anything in between, will be captured by one of the scientists by the time they are 25 years old. This brings us on to 30-year-old Colin Bates, who isn’t one of the prospects. He has been selected by no one, not by the scientists, girls, or even friends. He spends most of his days watching TV in his basement, trying to avoid doing odd jobs for his Grandma and her posse. Yet everything changes when a notorious terrorist, intent on destroying both scientists, appears in Colin's basement, begging him to take over his legacy.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Band of Bards is a publisher we all need to pay very close attention to. With excellent marketing and some wonderful books behind and ahead them, they may just emerge from this hellish pandemic the victors of a deck horrendously stacked against them (that's a Final Gamble pun for those of you in the know). Continuing their journey to greatness, they've picked up Prospects, an established series known for its irreverent humor and cartoonish artstyle. If you're looking for a story about a loser whose life collides with the supernatural and the absurd Shaun of the Dead style, this comic will absolutely deliver.
Writer: Toben Racicot
Artist: Alaire Racicot
Campaign Ends: November 10th
Status: 50% funded
PITCH:
In this second installment of Crown & Anchor (now with screen tones™!) we follow Hebb, Mact, and Skitt right after a mysterious being completely obliterates their ship – and they wash up on an island even the Kingdom hasn't dared set foot upon. Upon arriving, they meet the only human resident on the island. They soon discover his dark secret – one dating back to the bloody Second Epoch between man and the elves. With the stranger's terrifying supernatural power unleashed, the crew must find a way to dispel him forever – and quickly – before Aventus is sunk beneath the waves for good.
And somewhere on the other side of the world, a familiar face appears...
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
The Racicots are quickly proving themselves the most important power couple in indie comics today. This follow-up to their first Kickstarter campaign shows off the very best of their abilities: imaginative designs, captivating world-building, dynamic lettering, and just such gorgeous artwork. This massive work is free to read online already, so you can sample as much as you want before committing to the printed trade. If you like fantasy, manga-style comics, and supporting wonderful people, get on this campaign while there's still commission slots left to take advantage of.
*DISCLAIMER: Comics are selected from a very large pool of projects, some sent to us for review, some come across on the site itself. We tend to favor first-issue comics by indie creators that haven't already hit their campaign goals 5 times over, so keep that in mind. While we feel this list is representative of projects most worth the time and money of a comic reader, it is by no means exhaustive and there are many, MANY more projects that you can and should explore on Kickstarter.
–Wells Thompson, Content Editor